727 transmission removal

[Evolution69]

Hi can someone please give me a quick lowdown on tranny removal from my 68 RT, That I want to try and attempt this weekend.

Many thanks

[ws23rt]

A quick low down it it is heavy.

If you are under the car and by yourself ---Plan ahead---

I have done this many times on a creeper and am reluctant to go through what you need to do.
Putting it back in is the reverse but harder.

If you can't bench press a couple hundred pounds with ease you need a trans. jack.   That is part of planning.

Making the disconnect and reconnect are the easy part.

I once had a trans sitting on my chest and found that the car was not high enough to get out.  OOps

[72Charger-SE]

I agree with the other comment...  it is HEAVY!

Safety is the most important step.  Rent yourself a tranny jack.

Once the tranny jack is secure...  disconnect and remove the drive shaft...  Remove the lower part of the bell housing area to expose the flex plate.  Then remove the bolts connecting the tranny to the flex plate.  Disconnect the linkages (shift cable, kick down cable, etc)...  Unbolt the cross member supporting the tranny and with a bit of effort you can pull it back towards the rear of the car and it will release from the bell housing and can be safely removed.

I  have only done this one time and it was two years ago...  I am not an expert and am certain I missed key steps... 

Do your research and prepare for the unexpected.  Again, the 727 TF is VERY HEAVY and WILL HURT if it falls on you.

[cudaken]

I remember the first time I did it! Did not drain the 727 and found my self laying on my back in 8 quarts of ATF.  That is the day I decide to go to school for to lean bodywork and not be a wrench! 

After that night, I decide the hard way was the easy way. I pull the engine and 727 as one unit! Only hard part with pulling the whole power train at the same time is if you have headers! If you have headers, you may have to drop them anyway!

Only extra steps in pulling the whole drive train.

1 Pull the engine wiring harness from the cannon plug. All so the horn, washer motor, and ballast resistors wires.

2 Fuel line to pump.

3 Radiator and heater hoses.   

4 Drop head pipes, that could be hard depending on the age of the exhaust.

5 Motor mount bolts

6 Maybe the engine fan, I normal do.

7 Carb cable.

8 While it can be done with the hood on, I pull mine. If you decide to pull the hood let me know and I will give you a tip that will make it easy to reinstall.

When I was in my prime, say around 2 decades ago, I could do it is 45 minutes after the car was in the air. Hum  Maybe a hour or so? But I use to yank the engine and 727 often so I knew all the bolt sizes by heart and they where not rusted up either.

Cuda Ken

[Evolution69]

Thanks guys, Great help   

[fy469rtse]

I have just done this , car is up on ramps , lifted the back on stands, so a lot of clearance , car level
1. Front bell housing shield off 4 bolts ,
2. Torque converter flex plate bolts out
3. Starter motor out , battery disconnected of course.
4. I think you already have front of exhaust off
5. Tail shaft out
6. Disconnect trans cooler lines , be ready with containers for fluid to drain into
Speedo cable off , unplug neutral starter switch unplug
You need a larger trolley jack even if you have help, jack up trans slightly so as to support transmission and so you can undo crossmember and trans mount , remove and lower trans , undo bolts bell housing to engine put screw driver in parting in between engine and trans to break bond , it's ready to come out , oh good tip jack under trans , have a large wide scrap of timber under pan to minimise damage trans pan if you intend to reuse it, factory manual would be a big help to you, you can get it on disc so you can print just pages you need

[myk]

So how'd it go, 'OP?

[Evolution69]

I've only just received my tranny jack, so was going to tackle it this week, However I think I may of hit a wall, I was watching some tranny removal videos on youtube to get an idea, and to remove the torque converter bolts you need to turn the motor by hand to get to the hidden bolts right?, Well my motor is seized it will not turn over by hand at least, I haven't tried a socket because I don't think I have one big enough. I've read up on it and they say if I put either red diesel or tranny fluid down into the cylinder heads via where the plugs go a bit each day this could help un-seize the motor?, fingers crossed that is.

Thanks

[Troy]

That will certainly make it harder! Sounds like you need to pull the engine eventually any way so I'd just do it now - assuming you have the space and equipment. One thing if you do pull the trans by itself: make sure you support the rear of the engine! It is usually supported in the car by the transmission mount in the cross member. Once you remove that it is just sitting on the two motor mounts and can tilt forward or back.

Troy

[John_Kunkel]

Before you go pouring anything in the cylinders make sure the engine is actually seized. The front crankshaft bolt takes a 1 1/4" socket.

[Troy]

Before you go pouring anything in the cylinders make sure the engine is actually seized. The front crankshaft bolt takes a 1 1/4" socket.

In addition to this, most most of my cars require at least a short extension to reach the bolt. I use a standard breaker bar for leverage. You may want to try loosening/removing any belts too - just in case the alternator or one of the pumps is seized.

Troy

[Evolution69]

Thanks guys, I will give it a go.


Thanks

[ACUDANUT]

 It's easier to pull them together from the top. (remove hood and radiator)...Find a kid to help you.

[ACUDANUT]

It also helps to list your state in your info (why is that a secret ?)  You never know who might be close by who would offer his time and knowledge. 

[cudaken]

It also helps to list your state in your info (why is that a secret ?)  You never know who might be close by who would offer his time and knowledge. 

I think the OP is in England?

Go a head and pull everything. Motor need to come out regardless.  With the motor and 727 out you can pull the bell housing bolts and slip the 727 off the input shaft of the converter. Then a box end (Spanner if you are in England) will get the converter off the flex plate.

All so as stated, how do you know the motor is locked up?

Cuda Ken

[Evolution69]

Thanks guys
My initial plan was to drop the tranny, Then pull the engine from the side with a engine hoist, as the car is up on stands and facing a wall (small garage), I my self don't know the engine is seized the previous owner said it was, I was gonna pull everything and and freshen it all up either way.

I may have to wait till summer and push the car out and pull it all together from the front, OR I've read posts where they have pulled it from under the car?, would that be an option? Thank you for your help

[Troy]

You can drop it all out from the bottom - the factory installed it from the bottom up! Unfortunately, you have a space problem. The body has to be higher off the ground (or able to be raised higher) than the combined height of the engine, cross member, and suspension. I have seen some people raise the front of the car with an engine hoist - but never from the side. I suppose... with some work you could drop the oil pan and pull the main caps off the crank which would free it enough to spin with the converter.

Don't know if I've asked you before: Is your car QQ1 blue? I have a 68 R/T 4-speed in that color with a white top. Not finished of course!

Troy

[cudaken]

If you undo ever thing but the rear trans cross member and hook the host chain to the intake bolts you could have the engine out is 15 minutes. You might be able to brave the weather for that long? 

How long is the reach of your engine host? Pulling it from the front is the I do it. Never had the room for under that car way.

By the way, what is your real name and are you in England?


Cuda Ken

[Evolution69]

Thanks guys
Troy I recall you telling me about your QQ1 68, mines QQ1 as well but had a 727, bumped into a chap on facebook who has a 68 QQ1 RT, Not sure if that's you though?..

Thanks Cuda Ken, I think that's the best way, round some help up push it out and pull them both from the front.

Yes I live in the UK, ive been meaning to put it on profile but forget, Ill do it now.

Cheers for the help gents, much appreciated

[Windsor]

Maybe you already know, or maybe not. If the engine isn't seized, when you unbolt the TC, push it all the way into the trans. That way the weight of the TC won't rest on the end of the shaft.

[Evolution69]

quick update, Sadly engine will not budge, got my a 32mm socket today and had a go, Tried turning both ways and no luck, so I pulled the heads and tomorrow I ll just start poring oils, diesel fuel, tranny fluids, wd 40, oil etc etc down the cinder head for the next week or so and see how it goes..

Should I try the wood and hammer method or leave that to a last resort?

1 step forward 2 steps back, I would of dropped the tranny today

Thanks

[ACUDANUT]

"Should I try the wood and hammer method or leave that to a last resort?"
That only works if the crank is removed.